Pore network of an Inceptisol under different uses and relativized S-index as an indicator of soil physical quality

Raimundo Nonato de Assis Júnior,Alcione Guimarães Freire,Thiago Leite de Alencar,Jaedson Cláudio Anunciato Mota

doi:10.1590/s0100-204x2016000900057

Raimundo Nonato de Assis Júnior, Alcione Guimarães Freire + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/s0100-204x2016000900057

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Abstract

Abstract The objective of this work was to evaluate soil porous media quality under different uses, as well as to propose a new index to monitor changes in its structure due to management: the Srelative index. An Inceptisol under irrigated banana cultivation and secondary forest, in the Brazilian Apodi Plateau, was evaluated at three soil layers (0.0-0.1, 0.1-0.2, and 0.2-0.3 m) as to: particle size, particle and bulk density, organic matter content, intrinsic permeability to air, and water retention curve. Total porosity, index for pore continuity (defined by the ratio between soil intrinsic permeability to air and aeration porosity), volume of blocked pores, and the S and Srelative indices were determined. The Srelative index was calculated as the ratio between S-index values from undisturbed and disturbed samples of the same soil (Sundisturbed/Sdisturbed). Under the studied conditions, the Srelative index is a good quantifier of the changes imposed by soil use and management. Soil cultivation maintains or improves the quality of the evaluated attributes, except for blocked porosity, when compared with the soil under native secondary forest with ten years of regeneration after agricultural use.

Highlights

It is largely accepted that soil quality is a consequence of biological, chemical, and physical aspects, the latter are often neglected
This, according to Dexter (2004), is a great misconception, since the decrease in soil physical quality, which is widespread in agricultural areas, affects both chemical and biological conditions
The inclusion of visual indicators is recommended for the assessment of soil quality (Giarola et al, 2010)

Summary

Introduction

It is largely accepted that soil quality is a consequence of biological, chemical, and physical aspects, the latter are often neglected. This, according to Dexter (2004), is a great misconception, since the decrease in soil physical quality, which is widespread in agricultural areas, affects both chemical and biological conditions. These soil conditions, require information on physical aspects in order to be fully interpreted. In this context, the inclusion of visual indicators is recommended for the assessment of soil quality (Giarola et al, 2010). The research effort in seeking indicators or reference values to analyze soil physical quality for agricultural purposes has been intense.

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